Abstract 5639: High throughput spatially resolved laser-activated cell sorting links the genomic molecules with its spatial information
Authors: Sumin Lee, Amos C. Lee, Sunghoon Kwon
Journal: Cancer Research (2023)

Abstract Spatial omics profiling technologies have been recognized recently for its ability to decipher the genetic molecules that are structurally relevant in pathology. Especially, in tumor biology, tumor is not the group of malignant tumor cells, but rather group of various cells such as tumor cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, etc. gathers together, constructing the tumor microenvironments. Technologies to analyze such microstructures have evolved from bulk sequencing, single cell sequencing to spatial omics profiling technologies. Spatial omics profiling technologies have highly influenced in decoding cancerous mechanisms by questioning the tumor heterogeneity, tumor microenvironment and spatial biomarkers. Most of the spatial omics technologies focus on mapping the spatial omics landscape in a large scale. They rather introduces the spatially-barcoded capture probes or fluorescence labeled target probes to spatially locate the genetic molecules. The information depth and the scalability of the techniques varies according to the purpose of the spatial assay techniques. Such technologies are capable of discovering the spatial heterogeneity and the spatial landscape of the consisting cell types due to relatively low depth of the omics information. To effectively address the target molecules for therapeutics or diagnostics, higher depth of the omics information are required. To meet the needs, region of interest (ROI)-based spatial technologies isolated the target regions and applies chemistries for higher coverage omics data. Conventional cell sorters utilizes microfluidic channels to sort cells of interest which requires cell dissociation in a solution phase. For instance, Fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) or Magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) uses fluorescence or magnetic particles, respectively, to designate the cells of interest in dissociated cell solutions. Spatially isolating techniques such as laser capture microdissection (LCM) is able to sort out the ROIs while preserving the spatial context, but it approximately takes an hour for isolating the targets. Also, it uses rather UV laser to dissect out cells or IR-activated melting of polymers to stick out cells which might cause damage to cells. Here, I developed the automated spatially resolved laser activated cell sorter that isolates the cells in target per second while preserving the spatial context of the cells. Specific region of indium tin oxide (ITO) coated slide glass evaporates when illuminated by IR laser pulse, plunging the cells into the desired reservoir. The applicability of the suggested cell sorter are demonstrated in omics profiling chemistries such as DNA sequencing, RNA sequencing, mass spectrometry, etc. Citation Format: Sumin Lee, Amos C. Lee, Sunghoon Kwon. High throughput spatially resolved laser-activated cell sorting links the genomic molecules with its spatial information. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 5639.